Srinagar, June 3
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met several delegations of farmers, artisans and labour force during an “awami mulaqat” (public meeting) here today. Speaking on the occasion, Omar said special schemes had been implemented to benefit the artisans and to revive the glory of Kashmiri handicrafts.

He said around 1.5 lakh registered labourers were being provided financial assistance of about Rs 185 crore out of the cess money collected from various government agencies executing the construction of infrastructure in different sectors of development. Omar, as per an official statement, promised the delegations that their genuine demands pertaining to the welfare of the labour class would be given due consideration. He issued directions to the Labour Department for ensuring hassle-free benefits to workers sanctioned by the government under different schemes.

The CM said the government was working on a Rs 24-crore heritage and cluster development project under which 10 major localities of Shehr-i-Khas (old Srinagar city) were being developed for comprehensive cluster development of different artisans associated with different handicrafts. He said the areas of Habbakadal, Chinkral Mohalla, Fatehkadal, Khan-Kah-i-Moulla, Bhorikadal, Zainakadal, Maharaj Gunj and Zadibal among others were also proposed to be covered in this programme.

He said 8,000 modern carpet looms were being provided to carpet weavers under a mega carpet clusters scheme out of which 2,000 looms were being provided this year. Omar said the government had already got geographical indication from the Government of India for pashmina, sozni, kani shawl, walnut wood carving, papier machie and khatambund, while adding that this would give impetus to the showcasing of these Kashmir patent handicrafts all over the world.

He said the Handicrafts Development Institute was also working on a project to provide Radio Frequency Tags to the pashmina shawls manufactured in the state. He said this step would halt the attempts of unscrupulous traders to trade fake shawls. The CM assured the deputations from Chenani, Udhampur, Sudh Mahadev, Anantnag, Pulwama, Tral, Kulgam, Srinagar, Beerwa, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla and those representing different associations of shopkeepers, traders, private schoolteachers, self-help groups of engineers and students that the genuine demands put forth by them in their representations would be given due consideration.

Srinagar, June 3
Gusty winds and rains lashed the Valley last night uprooting trees at a few places. Four persons were also injured when a huge tree fell on their house in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

The wind accompanied by showers lashed the entire Kashmir region, including the main city Srinagar, from early evening till midnight on Sunday.

An official of the Weather Department said Srinagar city recorded 13.4-mm rainfall overnight.

A police spokesman said four persons were injured in Kupwara district last night when a Chinar tree fell on a residential house of Ghulam Ahmad Gania at Kreshpora village. The house was completely damaged

The four injured were shifted to a hospital.

Srinagar, June 3
The traffic police today said it would take strict action against drivers of the Passenger Service Vehicles (PSVs) making two trips within a period of 24 hours from Jammu to Srinagar or from Srinagar to Jammu.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Traffic, Muneer Khan, chaired a meeting here in which the orders were passed. “The drivers of the PSVs are making two trips within 24 hours from Jammu to Srinagar and vice-versa, thereby causing human fatigue as drivers have no time to recoup their energies required for such long journeys. Such an uninterrupted journey also causes damage to the vehicle. This phenomenon can cause serious accidents and can prove fatal, both for the driver and the passengers,” a police official said after the meeting.

He said it was unanimously agreed by all participants that there should be a strict vigil on such PSVs plying on the national highway. “It was decided that traffic check posts at Lower Munda, Nagrota and other places along the national highway will keep a strict vigil to ensure compliance of the directions,” he added. — TNS

Srinagar, June 3
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), on the instructions of SMC Commissioner GN Qasba, launched a two-day special sanitation drive through the route leading to Shankar Acharya Temple hills.

Huge quantity of garbage and trash, scattered from security barriers (Nehru Park) up to the temple, was collected and taken to the land fill dumping site.

The SMC has also restarted supplying drinking water, by departmental water tanker, to the tanks situated near the temple. The drive was supervised by Aijaz Hakim and ward officer of the area Nazir Ahmad Baba. 

Srinagar, June 3
Abdul Ghani Mir, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, today visited Shopian and impressed upon the policemen to create a sense of security in society by remaining sensitive to the concerns and needs of the public.

The IGP was speaking at a 'Durbar' of the policemen, CRPF personnel and officers at the District Police Lines, Shopian, on his one-day visit to the south Kashmir district. "Creating sense of security is the basic job of the police, besides, crime prevention, detection and investigation," he said.

He said the policemen and officers who are working inside and outside the police stations, which include the SHOs, duty officers or constables should remain sensitive to the needs and concerns of the general public.

He said a complainant who visits a police station should be given patient hearing and his grievance should be redressed. He called upon the policemen to improve their attitude towards the public. "Every parent wants that his children should get education and progress in life and it is our duty to create such an environment that there are more and more incident free days with schools and bazaars remaining open, so that normal activities of life goes on uninterrupted," the IGP said.

He chaired a meet, which included DIG South Kashmir Vijay Kumar, Shopian SP Mumtaz Ahmad, Commandant CRPF Kishore Kumar.

Srinagar, June 3
Former employee leader Khurshid Alam, who had been at the forefront during a series of protests launched by the government employees over the past few years, joined the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) here today.

Alam joined the PDP during a function held at the party headquarters in the presence of PDP patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Mufti said, “The party’s doors are open for all right-thinking people who want to contribute positively to the growth and political resolution of the state.

Alam said he joined the PDP as the party represented the aspirations of the people. “PDP, in its brief period of rule, had restored the trust of people in democratic institutions by following their words with action on the ground. The state had witnessed a new era of development and peace under PDP rule, led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. But unfortunately, everything has been derailed in the present regime, which has become the worst, even by its own standards,” he added.

Alam had recently resigned as the president of the Employees Joint Action Committee, Kashmir0 and was also a member of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various government employees' bodies. 

Srinagar, June 3
A Mumbai-based filmmaker Shariq Minhaj is all set to venture into Bollywood with a film called "Chinar" which is based on society and culture of Kashmir.

Shariq, in an exclusive interview to The Kashmir Tribune, described his upcoming film as a different narrative from the rest of the Bollywood films, which, according to him, have only focused on the violence and sufferings of the Valley. "It's a feel-good film about the Valley and will send positive vibes about its culture and people. I have not used Kashmir only for shooting its locales but it is the central theme of my film," Shariq said.

He said his love for Kashmir was because of his roots in the Valley. "My grandfather was from the Nowhatta area of Srinagar. I am attached to Kashmir and keep visiting this place often. I think Kashmir’s culture is very different from the rest of the country and that should be represented in Bollywood films," Shariq added. He has already shot some scenes in the Valley and is currently recording songs for the film in Mumbai. He has roped in Kashmir’s popular singer Mehmeet Syed to sing two songs in the film. "I want the audience to get a real feel of the Valley in my film, therefore, I have two Kashmiri songs in the film," he added. Shariq said he was talking to some young Bollywood actors for casting in his film, after which he would head to the Valley for his next shooting schedule. "I am currently in the process of finalising deals with my lead actors and will start the shooting next month. The film will be released at the end of the year," he added.

Handwara, June 3
Students of Government High School, Rajpora, 16 km from Handwara town, locked the school gate and boycotted classes in protest against the shortage of teaching staff and lack of accommodation today.

They said the problems in the school were affecting their education and the authorities were not taking any steps to address the same. The protesting students raised slogans against the authorities and blocked the Handwara-Rajwar road near Rajpora from 9am to 1 pm. A police party reached the spot but failed to pacify the students.

The students said they had protested four times in the past to grab the attention of the authorities towards the problems, but to no avail.

“By ignoring the problems for the past one year, the authorities have put our careers at stake. We are facing acute shortage of staff and space and despite many representations, the authorities concerned have never bothered to address the issues. We will intensify the protests if more teachers were not posted at the school and additional accommodation was not made available,” said Shameem Ahmad, a Class X student.

The school is housed in four rooms, including an office room. About 380 students from Rajpora, Rajwar and adjoining villages are enrolled in the school. The students said instead of 14 posts of teachers sanctioned for the school, only five were available. “We often miss classes in English and mathematics due to the non-availability of teachers for these subjects. Sometimes, teachers of other subjects double up and teach us these subjects. But such arrangements can not work for long,” said Shakeel Ahmad, a Class IX student.

The students said classrooms had become noisy due to the shortage of space.

“Against a seating capacity of 40 students, about 60 students are forced to sit in classrooms making them noisy and choked. The students seated in the back row often fail to listen to the lecture due to the noise,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a Class X student.

“A school building, having eight additional rooms, is under construction since the past more than four years. The additional accommodation would relieve the students of their problems but the management continues to sleep over the issue,” Mohd Ramzan, a local resident said.

Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Rajwar Barkat Ali visited the spot and assured the protesters that their demands would be addressed in stipulated time. “I have already ordered posting of two more teachers in the school today. I have written to the Kupwara CEO and will personally pursue the problem on priority,” he said.

Handwara, June 3
Hundreds of people, including women from Chogal and five of its adjoining villages of Handwara tehsil, protested against the shortage of drinking water in their villages. They blocked the Kupwara-Sopore road near Chogal for three hours today.

The protesters raised slogans against the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department for its failure to supply them drinking water. Residents of Barripora, Harn Chogal, Kulangam and other villages said in absence of drinking water, they were forced to fetch contaminated water for nullah Pohru for the past two months. “We have not seen water supply for the past two months. The consumption of contaminated water has led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases like cholera and gastroenteritis in the villages and authorities are watching as mute spectators,” said Mohd Jamal, from Haran Chogal village.

The inhabitants beat empty pitchers in protest, sat on the road and did not allow any traffic movement on both sides of the road.

“Despite of our repeated pleas, the PHE division concerned has not bothered to address our problems. We will be forced to intensify the protests if the water division does not restore water supply or provide us tanker service without any delay,” said Ishfaq Ahmad from Kulangam village.

The protesters demanded that water tankers be provided to them till the supply was restored to the villages.

Sharifa Begum said, “We are forced to collect contaminated water from a nearby nullah, which has led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. The water division should press water tankers into service till the supply is restored,”

The locals threatened to intensify protests if the supply was not restored to the villages before Thursday. “We will be forced to intensify protests if the supply is not restored at the earliest. We are dying for a drop of water and the authorities are doing nothing to address the problem,” said Bashir Ahmad.

Executive Engineer, PHE division, Handwara, Mohd Afzal said “We will soon provide tanker service to the villages and water supply would also be ensured in the next two weeks”.

Srinagar, June 3
For the first time since 2009, the annual drama festival, organised by the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), began here today with theatre lovers hailing the revival of the cultural activity in Kashmir.

In all, nine Kashmiri plays will be staged in as many days at the auditorium of the Government College for Women, MA Road.

The festival began with the play ‘Rath Vandai Malinyo’ presented by Kalidas Theatre Group. The play, written by prominent theatre person and playwright Makhan Lal Saraf, was directed by Ayash Aarif.

A large audience, including theatre persons, watched the play and appreciated the performers.

Other plays to be staged during the festival include Pagah Sholi Dunyah (June 4), Secret Plan (June 5), Musafir (June 7), Na Maloom (June 8), Yeli Shaam Gatchhi (June 9), Nyay (June 10), Phir Thur (June 11) and Shinakhti Card (June 12)

Declaring the festival open, Secretary of the JKAACL Khalid Bashir Ahmad said the academy was committed to the promotion of theatre in the state and the festival was a significant step towards it. He said in March 2013, a drama festival was held at Jammu and was appreciated by the audience and theatre lovers. So far as Kashmir was concerned, this activity remained disrupted for some years and it was his priority to revive it in the summer capital now, he added.

Ahmed said although there was no restriction of language for the festival, the fact that all the plays being staged were written in Kashmiri augured well for the local language. He said the Playwright Competition and Theatre Workshop would also be held shortly. 

Langate (Handwara), June 3
Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma reiterated the resolve of the government to provide improved basic facilities and good governance in every nook and corner of the state.

He sought whole-hearted support from the people to ensure overall development.

Sharma stated this while addressing a public meeting at Palpora village of Langate constituency yesterday.

“The government is aware about the problems of the people, especially in the rural and far-flung areas. All efforts are being made to address all issues on priority,” he said.

Sharma said the government had formulated a well-knit programme to upgrade the important infrastructural facilities in a phased manner.

Responding to the demands of the locals, he announced that the work on the Palpora PHE scheme would be sped up and completed in a time-bound manner. He said the scheme had already been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore and would cater to the drinking water needs of over 24 villages. He also assured that the Rishipora-Bangam and Langate Water Supply Schemes would be upgraded to improve their discharge capacity. Special funds would be arranged to upgrade these schemes, he added.

Sham announced that the government would also formulate a comprehensive programme to provide potable water in all uncovered areas of Langate. 

Srinagar, June 3
A six-year-old girl studying at Arshid Memorial School in the Brakpora area of Anantnag was crushed to death by her own school bus today.

The victim’s family said the incident took place when Lubna Jan was standing on the school ground where a few school buses were parked. The bus driver, who was trying to park the bus, crushed the girl to death.

Massive protests erupted against the bus driver and the school administration in the Brakpora area after the news of the girl’s death broke out. Her relatives blocked the Anantnag-Kishtwar National Highway and demanded stern action against the driver. Protesters alleged that the school administration was intentionally hushing up the case.

Meanwhile, Anantnag Additional Deputy Commissioner GM Dar reached the spot and pacified the protesters. He assured strict action against the driver and the school administration, if found guilty.

The police has registered a case and started investigations. 

Srinagar, June 3
Three persons were killed and two others were injured in four road accidents in the Kashmir valley today.

A car hit and injured a pedestrian Mohammad Shafi Gojri, a resident of Nagrota, Jammu, at the Tengpora Bypass on the city outskirts. The injured man succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

A motorcyclist hit and injured Fayaz Ahmad Bajad (15) at Nagbal in Budgam district. The injured teenager was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

In south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, a motorcyclist skidded off the road and fell into a stream at Aharbal resulting in severe injuries. The motorcyclist identified as Sayar Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Yaroo village, was shifted to a hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.

In another incident in south Kashmir, a car hit and injured a woman Haseena Akhtar and her son Saboor Ahmad at Mahindi Kadal in Anantnag district. The mother-son duo was admitted to a hospital where they are being treated. The police has registered cases for all accidents. 

Srinagar, June 3
Gold ornaments of an idol were stolen from the Durga Nag Temple here last night.

Vinod Pandit, chairman of the All-Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC), said a gold ‘mukut’ and a necklace were found missing from the temple this morning.

Stating that the the Durga Nag Temple near the Sonwar area of the city was of a great religious significance, he demanded a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the incident.

The APMCC also warned of a nation-wide agitation, if the government failed to bring the culprits to book and restore the ornaments to the temple.

Meanwhile, the police has started investigations.

The Durga Nag Temple is located in the foothills of Shankaracharaya hill and Chhari Pujan is performed here every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra.

Srinagar, June 3
Moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today said he had paid "glowing tributes" to two militants killed in a gunfight with the security forces in South Kashmir's Shopian district.

"APHC chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has paid "glowing tributes" to the two educated Kashmir youths Sajad Yousuf Mir and Mohammad Ashraf Rather who were killed by the Indian forces in Shopian," the group said.

The two militants were killed in a firefight with the security forces .

The Moderate Hurriyat faction leader said the "Kashmiri brave hearts" have offered thousands of "sacrifices" for the "freedom struggle". Mirwaiz said the APHC and Kashmiri people together would take their "sacred mission" to its logical conclusion.

"Mirwaiz said the politics based on bloodshed, coercion, suppression, deceit, is unacceptable to political and moral values of any civilised society. He said due to continuous suppression, the world seems to be taking notice of the of the Kashmir suffering," the statement said.

Srinagar, June 3
Sports education recruitment began at Kashmir University on Saturday with the Centre for Career Planning and Counseling and Department (CCPC) of Physical Education and Sports jointly organising a recruitment drive with Edu Sports, India’s largest school sports company.

Jyoti Majmudar, CEO of Edu Sports, said recruitment and specialised training to physical education teachers was a must in this field. She said Edu Sports was expecting to impart quality training to the selected students from the KU.

Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, in his interaction with the team of Edu Sports said, “The impact of such an initiative is huge, due to limited growth opportunities in schools for existing physical education teachers (PETs). Through this initiative Edu Sports provides growth opportunities within the organisation and empowers PETs to execute a class similar to an academic teacher.”

Shabir Ahmad, Director, CCPC, KU, said the first batch of selected candidates would be trained at the Edu Sports Academy for Coaching Excellence (EACE) for 90 days. The batch would comprise a mix of PE and non-PE graduates. Bashir Ahmad Khan, Director, Department of Physical Education and Sports, KU, said it was our responsibility to ensure that all children get access to a high quality physical education.